Precinct 3 County Commissioner Sherman Edwards was welcomed with open arms at his first commissioners court meeting Monday, June 24 as a packed agenda was swiftly moved through.
Edwards was appointed to take over Precinct 3 in mid-June after sitting commissioner Joe Brown resigned for retirement. Edwards was already elected to the seat and was set to take office in January.
The Edwards family was in attendance at the meeting, showing support to the newly appointed commissioner.
“We’re happy to have you,” County Judge Brandon Huckabee said.
A bond was approved for the newly added commissioner during the agenda.
The court also gave a 6-month extension to 100X Cabins Phase II located at the intersection of Hwy. 3025 and Hwy. 2303 in Precinct 4.
Subdivision Coordinator Jason Gardner explained that the project had to change from a private to a public water system, and the tanks had to be approved by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
“The tanks are backordered until October. They are asking for the extension to allow these to come in,” he said.
The court unanimously approved a job description for the newly formed Elections Administrator. Huckabee said there had been two meetings with the newly formed elections board and they have worked through getting the job description formed. The position will be posted and filled at a later date.
Work is continuing to move forward on expanding tower coverage for Erath County first responders and a memo of understanding was approved between the county and the city of Stephenville to allow the county to place equipment on radio towers at no cost.
Emergency Management Coordinator Chris Brooks said it was the last agreement the county was working on and under new business Brooks updated the court on the progress for the joint dispatcher center.
Brooks said a combined dispatch director has been hired and is a city employee. Currently the old tax office building is being looked at for the dispatch center, with the next step being a design with the architect.
Currently, the county and the city have dedicated $1 million each for the project.
“We are going to do our best to live within our means,” Brooks said about the budget.
The Donald R. Jones Justice center will soon be getting vending machines after approval from the court.
The snacks and drinks will allow jurors to purchase the items without having to leave the area, District Clerk Wanda Greer explained.
The commissioners gave the sheriff’s office permission to accept a $200 gift card donated by Walmart to be used for purchasing fans to be handed out by the ECSO for those community members needing cooling help.
“In the past they have donated the fans but this year they donated the gift card,” Sheriff Matt Coates said.
In other business the commissioners unanimously approved:
■ departmental reports
■ re-appointing directors to the Erath County Development District No. 1
■ allowing Emergency Management Coordinator Chris Brooks to travel to Maryland for continuing education
■ several trash items to be zero value to be thrown away by the Sheriff’s Office
■ the Sheriff’s Office to accept a Conex 20’ shipping container from the LESO program for storage
■ budget adjustment line items In new business, Precinct 2 County Commissioner Albert Ray asked if there any way to make the courtroom brighter since the lighting is extremely dim.
Precinct 1 County Commissioner Dee Stephens inquired about the air conditioning in the new county annex. Tax Assessor Collector Jennifer Carey explained that the company was still working on the timing but trying to figure things out.
Budget hearings and workshops for the county are anticipated to begin in July.